For $13 Million, David Bowie’s Elusive Art Collection Could Be Yours

David Bowie’s personal art collection will form a major three-part sale at Sotheby’s this November.The collection, which includes around 400 items, will travel the world prior to the sale, going on display in London, Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong.

It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to see the work that influenced Bowie’s creative output.

Modern and contemporary British art forms the heart of the collection, with work by Henry Moore, Graham Sutherland, Frank Auerbach and Damien Hirst. It also includes outsider art, surrealism and contemporary African art

Bowie was heavily immersed in the world of art, and in 1994 was invited to join the academics-only board of Modern Painters magazine, where he interviewed artists such as Tracey Emin, Jeff Koons, and Damien Hirst. He also painted throughout his life, and was once quoted as saying, “Art was, seriously, the only thing I’d ever wanted to own…It can change the way I feel in the mornings.”

David Bowie’s hair sells for £14,000 at auction

The Estate of David Bowie said that although his family will keep a number of pieces of personal significance, they feel others should have the chance “to appreciate – and acquire – the arts and objects he so admired.”

A selection of highlights from the collection will be on display in London from July 20-August 9 and again from November 1-10, before the auctions take place on November 10 and 11.

For $13 Million, David Bowie’s Elusive Art Collection Could Be Yours

Save, save, save. Photo: Jo Hale/Getty Images

When David Bowie wasn’t busy making some of the most groundbreaking art of his generation, he was a fierce private collector of some of history’s most famous artwork, having owned more than 400 pieces. For the first time ever, the late icon’s personal collection will be revealed to the public; it will later go up for auction this fall. Starting November 1, Sotheby’s plans to display the entire collection at its New Bond Street galleries, in London, for ten days, after which all 400-plus items will go up for sale at a three-part auction, on November 10 and 11. Some of those items include works by British 20th-century artists Frank Auerbach, Damien Hirst, Henry Moore, and Graham Sutherland, and there are also works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Marcel Duchamp, and Ettore Sottsass.

The whole collection is valued at $13.2 million, with Basquiat’s Air Power — which Bowie bought the year after playing Andy Warhol in 1996’s Basquiat — expected to be the biggest seller at $3–4 million. But if London art-collecting isn’t quite in your budget, Sotheby’s will also tour some of the highlights at early preview exhibits in Los Angeles, New York City, and Hong Kong through September and October.

I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone
to do it forr you? Plz reply as I’m looking to
create my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from.
thank you

A spokesperson for the Estate of David Bowie said that his family were keeping certain pieces of particular personal significance, but that it was now time to give others the opportunity to appreciate – and acquire – the art and objects he so admired.”

This design is wicked! You undoubtedly understand how to keep a reader amused.
Between wit plus your videos, I used to be almost transferred to start
my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job.
I truly enjoyed the things you had to say, and more than that,
how you presented it. Too cool!

This is the right blog for anybody who needs to find out about this topic. You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would need…HaHa). You undoubtedly put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just nice!

Excellent post. I used to be checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed!
Very helpful information specifically the remaining part 🙂 I handle such info much.
I was looking for this particular information for a very lengthy time.
Thanks and best of luck.

I am really enjoying the theme/design of
your site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues?
A small number of my blog visitors have complained
about my website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great
in Opera. Do you have any suggestions to help fix this problem?
ALVIERO MARTINI

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

You can adjust all of your cookie settings by navigating the tabs on the left hand side.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

disable

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.